Colombian Aji Picante

February 4, 2026

Colombian Aji Picante - kvalifood.com

Colombian aji picante is a fresh, vinegar-based hot pepper table sauce. Hand-mincing the ingredients is more traditional than blending, giving a chunky texture with distinct pieces of tomato, scallion, and cilantro.

Serve it alongside empanadas, bandeja paisa, arepas, soups, rice, and beans. It is a standard table condiment in Colombian households and restaurants.

Makes ca. 1.5 cups

Ingredients

120 ml white vinegar
1 fresh bird’s eye chili (or small habanero), seeds removed
1 small tomato (ca. 80 g), finely diced, seeds removed
3 tbsp finely chopped scallions (green and white parts)
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 tsp salt

Directions

Mince the chili very finely. Place in a bowl with the vinegar, let sit 5 minutes.
Dice the tomato finely, removing seeds. Chop scallions and cilantro.
Combine tomato, scallions, cilantro, lime juice, oil, and salt. Pour in the vinegar-chili mixture. Stir.
Transfer to a jar. Refrigerate a few hours before serving. Keeps 5 days.